The Persian infantry – we have a pretty good idea of what they looked like and how they fought, or at least we think we do. They were big fans of Smurf hats, basically unarmoured and no match for Greek hoplites, arrows that could blot out the sun – or some of our popular depictions might even show them as slaves being driven forward with whips, or dehumanised, incompetent, orc-like goons. 

What does Herodotus, one of our best literary sources for the Persian infantry, have to say about them? Surprisingly, a lot of what we said just now is based loosely on Herodotus. But with a more careful reading, supported by other literary and artistic sources, we might come away with a different picture.